Am I Fishing Jigs Wrong?

[hoosierbass07]

 This is my first year bass fishing.  I've caught most of my bass on plastic worms.  If I don't throw worms then I throw jigs.  And my success with jigs is horrible.  Looking back, I started fishing in spring, summer, and now fall.  I think I have only caught two bass on jigs.  

 

 With my plastic worms I Texas rig them and cast them out, pull my rod up and lower it, reel in some slack and do it over again.  I lift my rod up to about 11:00 or 11:30 or 12:00 position.  

 

 When I have been using jigs I've been using them almost like I use my Texas rigged plastic worms.  I have some trailers on some of the jigs I use. I cast it out - let it sit on the bottom for five seconds, and pull my rod up to around 11:00 position.  

 

 Am I pulling the jigs up too far off the bottom?  I looked on youtube and watched a couple of Bassresource videos on jigs.  One says he only gives the jigs little twitches.  Could that be the main reason my success rate is so bad with jigs? Am I working them too fast?  I will say that I work them almost as fast as I work my Texas rigged worms.  

 

 The jigs colors I use are mostly dark/brown colored.  I've been using them on twelve pound  and eight pound P-Line floroclear line.  

 

 I'm starting to think jigs are only good for bass in southern states and not here in Indiana.  Anyway, I would be grateful for any advice. 

[David P]

There's almost no "wrong" way to fish a jig, it just depends on the lake, cover, what bait the fish are keying in on, and things of that nature.

 

 You can swim them, hop them, drag them, twitch them, shake them, or any combination of these...

 

 Have you seen crawdads in this body of water you're fishing? Try to match the color (if you have). Could always try a few different colors. What's the water clarity like? Are you fishing weedy areas, rocks, or brush? 

 

 I learned to fish a jig by literally just slowly dragging, then pausing, then shaking just a bit, then dragging again. SLOW. Just to get the feel of what the bait was doing. Try to slow yours down a bit. 

 

   There's definitely a lot of variables that go into jig fishing, I'm sure others will shed their opinions and what has worked best for them as well. 

 

 Best of luck! Winter time is a great time to slow down and really learn to fish a jig! 

[Frenchman83]

You bite your tongue about jigs not working in Indiana! I pitch jigs to docks, lay downs weed edges and always up/down dropoffs. You can also swim them! Some of my biggest bass have come from trolling a jig just above the weed line. The only situation where I truely drag a jig is when I am working up or across a drop off. What features does your body of water have?

[Frenchman83]

In NE Indian we use a smaller jig in the winter because we are on ICE Baby!

[aceman387]

I can't think of much more to tell you because David did a great job answering your question. Have you checked out the pinned section above where it says jig fishing questions?

[Catt]

David nailed it

As with your Texas rig pay close attention to any unusal feelings, bass will inhale a jig & sit there until you reel down @ which time they'll spit it.

The biggest problem my students have is feeling the bite!

[Big-O]

x2 on answers above plus, if your waters have a soft muck bottom, the short compact profile of a jig is much less effective than a T rig with a slightly longer profile when casting and dragging.

[hoosierbass07]

This is my first year of fishing. So I'm not certain what all the baitfish are. I assume there is shad in raccoon lake state recreation area (were I have done a lot of fishing). I recently joined a local club and have access to strip pits that are very clear (at least more clear than raccoon lake). I know there are crappie in the lakes/ponds along with bass.

[Todd2]

Ive been fishing it a lot this year. I've mainly been moving it in short drags and hops with very short pauses in between, maybe a second or two after it settles. I don't let it sit long except if its the first pitch around cover, then ill wait a little bit before starting the retieve. I set the hook as soon as I feel something a little different...weightlessness, tic, etc. Waiting a few seconds before setting the hook will save you some jigs, but cost you some bass. IMO.

[dreamertino]

I fish mine just like a shakey head with less slack if you bump some thing let it sit then shake it let it sit then shake it violently

[Loop_Dad]

In addition to above advices, one thing I can think of is jigs you are using are too big for the fish you are catching. (I notice your PB is 1-2 lbs) They can have the bulk even if they are shorter than worms. Try smaller jigs.

 

Also what set up do you use? It is possible you are missing jib bites due to your set up (or some other reason). Fish tend to hang on to the plastic longer therefore easier to feel the bite, while they can be quick to spit out jigs.

[Primus]

 As the above poster mentioned try smaller finesse jigs to help you get confidence, these typically have smaller hooks which goes well with smaller trailers and usually come in lighter weights around 1/8 - 5/16 oz.. If fishing clear water try thinning out the skirts a little bit and trimming it just beyond the bend of the hook and if the cover is not real heavy I usually thin out the weedguard as well.

 

 Also experiment with different trailers, there are times when fish want trailers with minimal action especially in colder water such as a Zoom Critter Craw and other times more action like a doubletail grub or a Strike King Rage Chunk. A small 3" single tail grub on the back of a 3/16 or 1/4 oz bitsy bug type of jig is a killer combo that flat out gets eaten and works great with all the different retrieves mentioned by the previous posters. Keep in mind that trailer choice can affect drop speed which is another critical part of jig fishing.

 

Another consideration is the shape of the jig head, some are different variations of broad rounded jigheads that work better around rocky covers or maybe outside weedlines if fishing grass lakes. Jigs suited for fishing around weeds usually have a more streamlined pointy profile. Then their is the football head which is a subject for another day. 

 

 One last combo to try is a 4" (5" also works great ) Yamamoto doubletail skirted grub on Bite Me Jacobs Jig ( or remove the skirt from one of your other jigs )  http://bitemejigs.com/components/com_virtuemart/show_image_in_imgtag.php?filename=resized%2FJakobs_Jig_4ac169badecb9_90x90.jpg&newxsize=90&newysize=90&fileout=    These grubs on the back of  a jighead will get a lot bites, work great with any  type of retrieve and the fish will usually hold on to them a long time helping with bite detection. The Chompers Skirted Twin Tail grub is similar to the Yamamoto and also works very well. Tightlines.

 

Tightlines

[roadwarrior]

Play with a jig in shallow, clear water. Watch how the jig reacts as you drag and lift it over a rock.

I try to imitate the movement of a crawdad: slow retrieve with an occasional pop and long pauses.

I would also suggest ALWAYS using a trailer.

 

 

 

 

[5dollarsplash]

Play with a jig in shallow, clear water. Watch how the jig reacts as you drag and lift it over a rock.

I try to imitate the movement of a crawdad: slow retrieve with an occasional pop and long pauses.

I would also suggest ALWAYS using a trailer.

 

 

 

 

This^ Or if you have a deep tub, pool, or fish tank (make sure your fish aren't too interested lol), its a good way to see what your really doing with your rod and reel in relation to your bait.  In my experience, I found I was moving the bait far faster/further than I realized. 

[WRB]

The mistakes most new jig anglers make that normally T-rig a soft plastic worm is use too heavy weight jig with a compact hook/ head design and create too much uncontrolled slack during the retrieve.

Without knowing what type of jig you are fishing with, my suggestion for a casting jig is a football head design that has more distance between the hook point and jig head than a flipping/pitching type (Arkie) style jig.

The next item is the jig hook; use jigs with premium sharp hooks with standard wire, not a heavy wire hook when using lighter line.

Always use a trailer when casting and retrieving a jig. The trailer should be a high floating or not a soft plastic with heavy salt added. Trailers with good swimming action at slow retrieve speed or falling down through the water on controlled slack line is important. I am not familiar with RageTails, they look great, GY twin tail grubs work good. When I teach new jig anglers to cast and retrieve a jig, my suggestion is a 3/8 oz plain GY wire guard football head with GY 4" twin tail Hula grub, color similar to what the T-rig worm is that works for you.

You can make up a similar jig using sponsored components.

Bass tend to hold onto a T-rigged worm longer than they will with a jig, so you needed to detect the strike and set the hook instantly. The bite is quicker so concentrate on the jig and don't loose contact with it always feeling some slight weight. The classic tick bite is easy to detect, all other bite not so easy. Fishing jigs we have a saying "swings are free" so set the hook when you feel anything odd with the jig, vibration, getting lighter, sudden stop, the line move.

Hook sets; when casting a jig over 30' away, I use the reel set with rod sweep, keeping the rod tip lower than a T-rig so I can sweep the rod back firmly. When the jig is closer or more vertical I use the snap set, whipping the rod into the controlled slack line. Never lower the rod and take up slack with a jig, you will miss 90% or more of the jig strikes.

Good fishing.

Tom

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Latley ive been using a casting jig, 3/8 oz or 1/2.. I let is sink all the way down you'll see the bow in. Your line reel in till your line straight with you rod tip pointed straight forward or down.. then slowly raise your tip up it will allow you to drag it slow.. then repeat or let it sit a second or to give it a small pop here and there... this has been absolutely slamming bass here.. then when you feel the bite or some thing odd your reel the slack and pop that sucker!!!! I'm going out to do.this now good luck!!